Endoscopy in a medical field permits internal features of a body of a patient to be inspected without a use of a traditional, fully-invasive surgery. An endoscope typically comprises a system of lens at a distal end which transmits an image through an optical pathway housed within a flexible tube to an eye piece at a proximal end. A clinician can use the eye piece to inspect the internal features at the distal end or the eye piece can be coupled to an imaging system. The imaging system generally includes a camera coupled to the eye piece that transmits a digital image data to display device over a physical cable. High intensity light is provided at the distal end of the endoscope by an external light source. This light source is coupled to a light port, situated near the proximal end, by the eye piece, and transmitted to the distal end via an optical pathway such as an optical fiber.
Endoscopic systems are typically expensive and complicated due to their specialized equipment and need for sterility in medical applications. The endoscope uses fiber optics for image and light transmission. The image is usually transmitted and processed through an expensive and complex image-processing unit that then displays the image on a separate display, such as a video screen. This collection of images and video processing units and displays are usually bulky and not mobile, and thus not practical in emergent use or in areas of world were such equipment are cost prohibitive. Furthermore, using an external video capture or screening device usually requires bulky monitors, external cabling and external power. Similarly, a typical endoscope light source is remote to the endoscope and must be connected via a fiber-optic type cable from a source to the light port of the endoscope. This configuration limits movement and mobility of the endoscope.
A typical light source unit is comprised of a high intensity light source, such as an incandescent bulb or light emitting diode (LED), a dedicated optical cable, a ballast power supply, a set of control circuitry, and a cooling fan. These systems are expensive, complicated, and inefficient. Also, these systems must compensate for losses along the light conduit, monitor for hazardous conditions for patient caused by infrared heat, while allowing for a mechanical control of a color content of a light, which can adversely affect image quality, especially when a dedicated light cable that connects the light source to the endoscope is cumbersome.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an inexpensive, lightweight, mobile platform that is both accurate and reliable, and does not require an excessive amount of time to assemble or to establish external connections or cables.